Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley voiced support for a subpoena of the NBA commissioner to investigate the league’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
During an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Hawley, a frequent critic of the Chinese Communist Party, said he would be open to initiating Senate hearings on the NBA’s financial ties to the country, saying that the NBA should publicly disclose its financial dealings with China.
“Should the Judiciary Committee subpoena Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, to come in and talk to you?” Hewitt asked.
“Well, that’s a great idea,” Hawley said. “You know, I sent my letter on Friday that drew the rebuke from the ESPN reporter [and] was addressed to Adam Silver, and it asked for these answers, and it said, ‘Listen, you know, again, if you’re going to put these social justice cause statements now on the back of their jerseys’ — and only a handful of them, Hugh, that NBA corporate has approved. It’s not like the players can put whatever they want on the back of the jersey. NBA corporate has approved a handful. And, predictably, they have nothing to say about anything related to China.”
Haley is a member of the Judiciary Committee, which is led by Sen. Lindsey Graham. The South Carolina senator, who could pave the way for an investigation and a subpoena, recently spoke about the NBA in an interview with Fox News Radio.
“And for that, they don’t say things like ‘Support our troops’ or ‘God bless America,'” Hawley said. “All of that stuff is verboten. You can’t say any of that. So, I just asked, ‘Why aren’t there other slogans on the jerseys?’ And, ‘Why don’t you tell us about your relationship with China?’ So, I think that getting these answers is absolutely crucial, and I’m open to just about any avenue to get them.”
Last week, Hawley sent a letter to Silver asking if players could display the slogan “Free Hong Kong” on their jerseys after reports showed the NBA will allow players to inscribe social justice messages on top of their jersey numbers. In response to the senator’s letter, sent out in part by a press release, ESPN columnist Adrian Wojnarowski wrote, “F— you.“
In the letter, the Republican argued that the sports league, which has a lucrative relationship with China, ought to allow players to exercise free speech critical of the Chinese Communist Party.
ESPN suspended Wojnarowski shortly after his email to Hawley.
“This is completely unacceptable behavior, and we do not condone it. It is inexcusable for anyone working for ESPN to respond the way Adrian did to Senator Hawley. We are addressing it directly with Adrian and specifics of those conversations will remain internal,” ESPN said in a statement last week.
